Method for removing the residual threads from a spool



Sept. 15, 1970 E. SCHMID 3,528, 50

METHOD FOR REMOVING THE RESIDUAL THREADS FROM A SPOOL Filed Feb. 2, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 2; 2/ i I 5': I

All llll -F "5 /IaS ATZWPM w Sept. 15, 1970 E. SCHMID I 3,528,150

METHOD FOR REMOVING THE RESIDUAL THREADS FROM A SPOOL Filed Feb. 2, 1968 3 Sheets-Shet 2 wail M wzgw Sept. 15, 1970 E. SCHMID 3,528,150v

METHOD FOR REMOVING THE RESIDUAL THREADS FROM A SPOOL Filed Feb. 2, 1968 r s Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR. [FW/l/ (SKA MM) United States Patent 3,528,150 METHOD FOR REMOVING THE RESIDUAL THREADS FROM A SPOOL Erwin Schmid, Augsburg, Germany, assignor to Firma Knotex Maschinenbau G.m.b.H., Augsburg, Germany,

a corporation of Germany Filed Feb. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 702,739 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 4, 1967, K 61,346; June 2, 1967, K 62,445 Int. Cl. D0311 45/58 US. Cl. 28-72 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Residual thread is removed from spools by blowing the start of the thread into the gap between two separated rotating coaxially mounted discs, which are then pressed together so that the thread is clamped between them and winds on them. The opposed faces of the discs are frustoconical so that when they are separated the wound annulus of thread slides readily off them.

The invention relates to a process and a device for removing the residual thread from a spool, in which the start of the thread is effected by a current of air from the suspended spool to a rotating former and is wound thereon. In a known device for the performance of this process driving rollers are provided which engage the spool at its downwardly hanging end and rotate it in the opposite direction to the direction of winding of the thread residue still present on the spool. In this way the end of the thread is loosened, with the additional aid of a suction current of air acting at right angles to the axis of the spool. This loosened end of the thread then has to be brought, by an arm rotating in a plane parallel to the axis of the spool and provided with suction and blowing nozzles, to a winding drum onto which the thread is then wound. Such a winding drum is provided on its periphery with brushes on which the start of the thread remains suspended so that the following thread residue can be wound onto the winding drum. Apart from the fact that this known device is of extremely complicated construction, it also has the disadvantage that the threads wound on the winding drum have to be removed from time to time by cutting off the thread residues wound onto the winding drum. This is a laborious and time consuming operation, during which either the machine cannot be used at all or a second winding drum must be inserted into the machine. In particular, when a relatively large number of thread residues have already been wound onto the winding drum the additional disadvantage arises that the start of the thread is not engaged by the winding drum, so that the thread residue is not drawn from the spool as intended. A further disadvantage of the known device resides in the fact that it has a relatively low output because the successive stages of operation, in particular the engagement and drive of each individual spool, require a relatively long period of time.

The present invention is based on the problem of providing a process for the removal of the thread residue from a spool, which on the one hand permits rapid and satisfactory removal of the thread residue and on the other hand can be performed with simple means. The invention is based on the further problem of providing a device for the performance of the process, which is characterized by a particularly simple construction, high output and good efficiency. The process according to the present invention is characterized in that the start of the thread is blown into the opened gap between opposed faces of two rotating discs, the faces of the discs are then pressed against one another so that the start of the thread is firmly clamped between the two discs, thereupon the thread is wound on the periphery of the discs, and finally with the discs opened again, the wound thread residue is removed from the gap, preferably by a further current of air. In the process according to the invention each thread residue is removed again immediately after being wound onto the discs, which is permitted by reason of the faces of the discs being separated from one another again after the winding of the thread residue. Because of this, the thread residue looses its supporting surface at the periphery of the discs and can easily be removed from the gap between the two discs. In contrast to known processes in which a plurality of thread residues are wound onto a former and are removed from time to time, in the known processes, according to the invention each thread residue is therefore removed immediately after winding. Hence the process according to the invention permits continuous working, which is interrupted only by the removal of cleared spools and the insertion of spools to be cleared. Further, the process according to the invention also avoids the disadvantages that occur in those processes in which the threads are not wound on a former'but are merely drawn off the spool by one or two formers and are fed in free fall to a reservoir. In comparison therewith the process according to the invention also has the advantage that the unwound thread residues are wound together in relatively compact form, so that they take up little space and it is not necessary to provide pressing devices which as in known processes press the loose thread residues together.

The process according to the invention can be performed with particular certainty if two discs are employed which taper from the edge to the faces so that in the condition in which they are pressed together there is formed between them a substantially V-shaped peripheral groove in which the thread is wound. When after the Winding of the thread the two discs are separated, the wound thread residue slides on the tapering surfaces of the discs and falls out, or may be blown out in the required direction by a blowing current of air.

A device for the performance of the process according to the invention is characterized by two coaxially rotatable discs mounted in line, the faces of which are opposed to one another and at least one of which is mounted so as to be axially movable and is capable of having its face pressed onto the face of the other disc, at least one of the discs tapering at the periphery from the edge to its face in such manner that an approximately V-shaped groove for winding the thread is formed between the discs when pressed together. This device is of particularly simple construction, high reliability of operation, high output and good efficiency. Further detailed reference will be made hereto in the specific description.

Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained in more detail in the following description of a practical example with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view, partly in section, of a device for performing the process according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly in section,

FIG. 3 is a section on the line IIIIII of FIG. 1.

In the drawing, reference numeral 1 indicates a holding device which consists essentialy of a beam 2 which is movable in the direction A (FIG. 3) and has substantially U-shaped holding pieces 3 secured to it. Each of the holding pieces has at its lower part an edge 4 for supporting the spool head 5a of the spool 5. In order to hold the spool in the correct vertical position and secure it against falling out of the holding piece 3, the holding piece may be provided with permanent magnets 6 which co-operate with iron rings 7 on the spool head.

The holding pieces 3 are advantageously further provided with one or more downwardly inclined blowing nozzles 8 directed onto the spool 5, which are connected to a source of compressed air through the intermediary of a valve (not illustrated).

Beneath the holding device 1, which holds the spool firmly in a suspended position, is arranged the actual device for withdrawing the thread residue. In accordance with the invention, this withdrawing device consists of two coaxially and rotatably mounted discs 9 and 10, a plurality of which may be arranged adjacent one another in pairs as is illustrated in the drawings. The discs 9 and 10 have the'n faces 9a and 10a facing one another. At least one of the discs, the disc 10 in the practical example shown, is mounted so as to be movable in the axial direction and so that its face 10a can be pressed onto the face 9a of the other disc 9. More detailed reference to this movable mounting will be made below. Both discs taper peripherally from the edge to the faces in such manner that, as can be seen from the drawing, an approximately V-shaped groove for winding the thread is formed between the discs when pressed together. In the practical example shown the disc tapers from the edge like the frustrum of a cone. The angle or included between the generating line and the axis of the cone or disc has to be so large that, as is further explained below, with the discs opened the wound thread slips off the conical surface.

In order to achieve as simple a construction as possible it is advantageous to mount only one disc rotatably, namely the disc 9, and to drive its shaft 11 for example via the gearing 12 illustrated in FIG. 3. A plurality of these gearings 12 may further be interconnected by a common driving shaft 13. The other movable disc 10 is mounted so as to be freely rotatable on an axial stub 14 which is advantageously mounted in a cavity 16 in a rod 17 so as to be movable against the force of a spring 15. This rod 17 is for its part mounted in a bore 18 in a bearing member 19 so as to be movable in the axial direction. An eccentric 20 which acts via a ball bearing 21 and a pin 22 on the end of the rod 17 serves for moving the rod 17 in the bore 18. By rotating the eccentric in clockwise direction in FIG. 1 the disc 10 can be shifted towards the stationary disc 9, its face 10a being pressed resiliently against the face 9a of the other disc due to the spring 15. In order to effect uniform pressure it is advantageous for one of the discs to be capable of executing a slight tilting movement. Withdrawal of the movable disc 10 is eifected by means of a spring 23.

In order not to have to provide an individual movable eccentric 20 for each disc 10 and an individual drive for each stationary disc 9, it is advantageous to arrange each two movable discs 10 and each two immovable discs 9 symmetrically relative to one another in a bearing member 19 and 24 respectively, as is illustrated in the drawing. In this case the eccentric 20 is formed as a double eccentric which moves the associated discs 10 away from one another simultaneously in opposite directions. A common tension spring 23 returns it to its initial position again. The two driven discs 9 are mounted on a common shaft 11 and also have the drive 12 in common.

As was briefly mentioned above, the holding device 1 is mounted horizontally and at right angles to the axis of rotation of the discs, normal to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 1 and movable in the direction A in FIG. 3. At the left-hand side of FIG. 3 the holding device is in its withdrawal position, i.e., in the position that it assures While the thread is being drawn from the spool. In this case the holding device and the spool hanging from it remain at rest. The position of the holding device, or of the holding piece 3, is advantageously selected so that when the holding device is in the withdrawal position the axis S (FIG. 3) of the spool extends approximately tangentially to the V-shapcd groove between the discs 9, 10. In this manner the thread is drawn from the spool in approximately the axial direction thereof and the thread is not caught on the lower end 5b of the spool.

At the delivery station, which is illustrated at the righthand side of FIG. 3, there is advantageously provided a stripper 25 which acts on the spool head 5a and against which the spool head 5a strikes upon displacement of the holding device in the direction A so that it is shifted out of the holding piece 3. At the delivery station there are also provided downwardly inclined rails on which the spool head 5a can be supported and slide downwardly.

In the region of the discs 9 and 10 there is also provided a blowing nozzle 27 which is directed towards the gap between the discs and at right angles to the axis of rotation of the discs and which serves for the removal of the wound thread residue from the gap.

As is described in more detail below, in order to bring the threads correctly between the opened discs it is desirable for each of the discs to be surrounded by a guide member 28 which has guide surfaces 29 directed towards the gap. As can be seen in FIG. 3, two funnel shaped guide plates 30 inclined towards one another may be provided beneath the discs, the opening 31 of the funnel being located approximately vertically beneath the axis of the discs. These guide surfaces also serve to guide the thread into the gap between the opened discs. The guide member also has the function of preventing winding of the thread on the axle 14 or shaft 1.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The spool 5, on which a thread residue R is still located, is brought to the holding device 1 by a feeding device (not illustrated) so that its spool head 5a is supported in the holding piece 3. The permanent magnets cooperating with the rings 7 of the spool ensure that the spool hangs vertically and is securely held during withdrawal of the thread. During this operation the movable discs 10 are in their withdrawn starting position, in which they take the position shown in dot-dash lines in the lower central part of FIG. 1. In this way a gap Z is formed between the faces 9a and 10a of the discs. The discs 9 are driven continuously.

As soon as the spool head 5a hangs in the holding piece 3 compressed air is supplied to the nozzles 8. The start of the thread F is thereby released from the thread residue and is moved downwardly. The guide surfaces 29 of the guide member 28 ensure that the thread passes into the gap Z between the opened discs. The thread or the air current moving the thread may advantageously be guided through the guide plates 30 arranged beneath the discs, so that according to the action of the blowing air current the start of the thread passes at least through the gap Z between the opened discs 'or even further downwardly through the mouth 31 of the funnel formed by the guide plates 30, as is illustrated in FIG. 3. According to how firmly the start of the thread sticks to the spool residue, threads of greater or lesser length are drawn 01f by the blowing air current. The length plays no part, however, provided that it is ensured that the start of the thread reaches at least as far as the gap between the opened discs. After an appropriate time the blowing air current is shut oif by means of a suitable valve and a suitable control device, and the discs 10 are shifted towards the discs 9 by rotation of the double eccentric 20 in clockwise direction in FIG. 1 and are pressed resiliently against them by springs 15. For the common actuation of a plurality of eccentrics, an actuating rod 32 may be provided which moves the eccentric axis 34 via a lever 33. It has been found advantageous to shut oif the blowing air current from the nozzles 8 shortly before closing of the discs, since otherwise during closing of the discs there would be flow of air which would press the thread out of the gap Z again. This cannot happen, however, if the blowing air current is shut off at the right time. Upon closing of the discs the start of the thread is firmly clamped between the faces 9a and 10a of the discs. In order that these faces may be pressed together as uniformly as possible, as already mentioned it is advantageous for one of the discs to be able to execute a tilting movement to accommodate the angular relationship of the other disc. This may be accomplished by making the bearings 21a (FIG. 2) loose so that the disc 10 will have some axial play adjacent the periphery thereof relative to disc 9. Immediately after the closing of the discs 9 and 10 the withdrawal of the thread F from the spool begins. The driven disc 9 moves the freely rotatable disc with it and the threaded residue R is now wound in the V-shaped groove between the two discs 9 and 10. This operation lasts only a few seconds. As soon as the thread has been drawn from the spool a current of blowing air is supplied to the nozzles 27. As soon as this current of blowing air is effective the discs 9 and 10 are again opened by movement of the eccentric 20 back to its initial position by means of the rod 32. During this movement the spring 23 also pulls the movable disc 10 back into its initial position. The thread residue wound in the groove slides off the conical end faces of the discs 9, 10 and is blown out in the required direction by the current of blowing air. It occupies a relatively small volume since the whole of the thread residue was wound into a ring. During blowing out of the thread residue it is again important for the current of blowing air to be started prior to the opening of the discs, since otherwise it may happen that upon opening of the discs the thread is flung out in an uncontrolled direction by centrifugal force.

After the thread residue has been drawn from the spool the holding device is moved to the delivery station in the direction A (FIG. 3). The spool head 5a strikes the strip per 25 so that it is shifted out of the holding piece 3. It falls onto one of the inclined rails 105 and slides down wardly thereon. Shortly thereafter, the holding device is moved back to its withdrawing position and a new cycle of operation can begin.

As mentioned above, a plurality of pairs of discs are arranged adjacent one another to enable the thread residues to be withdrawn from a plurality of spools simulta neously. In this way the capacity of the whole device can be appreciably increased without the number of parts required, in particular for driving and controlling the discs and the blowing device, being increased. Since each of the pairs of discs are of similar construction the required number can be mounted adjacent one another from a kit of parts according to the customers requirements.

In order that the start of the thread may be released 5 from the spool with certainty, it is important for the nozzles 8 to be arranged directly beneath the spool head and as close thereto as possible. For this reason a construction is advantageous in which the blowing nozzles 8 are arranged at the under side of the holding piece.

10 What is claimed is:

1. A process of removing thread residue from a spool, comprising:

suspending the spool in a vertical plane;

initiating the removal of the .thread from the spool by a current of air to direct the end of the thread between separated, opposed faces of two rotating discs; pressing the faces of the discs together to clamp the thread firmly therebetween; winding the thread on the periphery of the discs to remove the residue from the spool; and

separating the discs and removing the wound thread residue therefrom.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the spread is wound in a substantially V-shaped peripheral groove between the opposed faces of the discs.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the wound thread residue is removed by means of a current of air.

References Cited 

